H.R. 8, Water Resources Development Act of 2018

Summary

H.R. 8 would authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to construct projects to improve navigation and flood management, to mitigate storm and hurricane damage and to provide assistance for water recycling and water treatment projects. The bill also would authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist states and local governments in mitigating flood risks from aging dams and levees. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 8 would cost about $1.1 billion over the next five years and $2.5 billion over the 2019-2028 period, assuming appropriation of authorized and necessary amounts.

Enacting H.R. 8 also would increase direct spending by $5 million over the 2019-2028 period; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. The bill would authorize the Corps to convey nine acres of federal land to the city of Nashville, Tennessee, in exchange for the fair market value of the property, which CBO estimates would total about $1 million. The bill also would authorize the Corps to credit the nonfederal sponsor of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project for certain in-kind contributions totaling $6 million. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.

H.R. 8 would significantly increase direct spending by more than $2.5 billion and on-budget deficits by more than $5 billion in at least one of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029, by authorizing the Corps to spend amounts in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund without further appropriation.

H.R. 8 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.